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​PETERBOROUGH, July 24, 2017: The Peterborough Chamber of Commerce has sent in a written submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs on Bill 148.

Since the announcement of the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, many of our Chamber members have expressed concerns about the pace at which this legislation is being implemented and the impact on the economic growth of Peterborough and the province.

“Under the proposed Bill 148, this group of constituents is facing a dramatic increase in staffing costs over the next 18 months,” says Stuart Harrison, President & CEO, Peterborough Chamber of Commerce. “These costs are not alone related to the proposed minimum wage increase and have caused businesses to consider the impact and how they will stay afloat.”

We took the concerns of our local employers and have submitted them to the provincial government along with a list of recommendations that our Peterborough business community put forward.

“The recommendations stem from conversations and a roundtable the Peterborough Chamber held with 24 businesses from all sectors of the Peterborough economy,” adds Harrison. “They focus on the need for more time to adapt, as well as, providing sector-specific relief, and considering other ways to achieve the desired outcome.”

We thank our member businesses for providing their comments and adding their voice to this conversation.As the cover letter to the report states, “employers and employees have to band together to make the economy work.”